LIAM DELAP and Chelsea could be a match made in heaven as the Blues grow increasingly confident of signing Ipswich’s £30million striker.
Delap, 22, is set to be on the move just one year after joining the Tractor Boys from Man City in a deal worth just £20m.
Liam Delap could be a perfect fit for Chelsea and vice versaAlamy
PAA move would see the Ipswich star reunited with Enzo Maresca[/caption]
He has scored 12 Premier League goals this season.
And that has seen several clubs join the race for his coveted signature this summer.
Manchester United are keen as Ruben Amorim searches for more firepower.
But SunSport can exclusively reveal that Chelsea are now leading the race for Delap.
And a move to Stamford Bridge could be the perfect outcome for both parties.
For starters, Chelsea now resemble a mini-Man City following Todd Boehly’s £1billion rebuild.
Former academy star Cole Palmer is the club’s top player.
Romeo Lavia has also become a fan favourite – at least when he’s fit enough to play.
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Behind the scenes, recruitment chief Joe Shields knows Delap well from their time together at City’s academy.
But most importantly, Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca was his manager at City’s academy.
AlamyDelap would play in the same side as Romeo Lavia and Cole Palmer[/caption]
Like Delap, the pair were in Manchester City’s academyGetty
The pair enjoyed a fine working relationship together.
And Maresca hailed Delap before both of Chelsea’s fixtures against Ipswich this season, with the forward scoring in his side’s 2-0 home win in December.
However, Delap and Chelsea also match up in terms of playing style.
The hitman’s intelligence and movement off the last line creates plenty of space.
Delap could thrive off the clever passes pinged in by Palmer and Enzo Fernandez.
His athleticism and strength would also help break down teams that sit in a deeper defensive block.
Delap also has a sharp sense when it comes to scoring.
His ball anticipation and first-move timing is impeccable.
The centre-forward’s tendency to attack space while running across defenders means he is often arriving at the right time to meet crosses.
Despite his size, Delap also boasts plenty of pace.
His surprising speed helps stretch the game while opening up gaps in the final third.
And roving team-mates could take advantage with clever dribbles towards goal while forcing the opposition backwards.
It now remains to be seen where Delap ends up once the season is over.
But should Delap accept a move to Chelsea, it is highly likely to be the right choice.
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